Melbourne [AU]: 33 Armed Robberies in 6 Mos.

“Police are offering a $50,000 reward to catch a network of gangs who have terrorised gaming venues in Melbourne’s northern suburbs in a six-month spree,” theage.com.au report. “The police believe the bandits are responsible for up to 33 armed robberies at Melbourne gaming venues since June last year, and officers have formed Taskforce Sampson to investigate the violence. Four men aged in their mid 20s were arrested in November and remain in custody after being charged with a number of serious offences including armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, common law assault and firearm offences. However Detective Superintendent Kevin Sheridan said a number of other alleged offenders were believed to be laying low in the wake of the arrests.” Who says gun control doesn’t work?

North suburbs too far away to be surfers. Those will be 50 miles, mostly South, at Torquay (Bells Beach is there) and along the Great Ocean Road. Oh yeah, the final scene in Point Break wasn’t shot at Bells, it was in Oregon. Bells is just long and flat, although you do have to take stairs to get down to it. Just came back from there, gang shootings in Sydney were prompting calls for more gun control. Lots of little casinos with restaurants and pubs attached; would be easy pickings with no one armed. Carrying a pocket knife is a $1000 fine – at least that’s what my pals told me when I took mine out to cut something. Friend with a carpentry business got questioned about the utility knife on his truck seat, had to prove that he was a carpenter. Guess all the hammers and levels and saws in the cabinets of the truck weren’t a clue. They bought back all the semi-auto rifles and shotguns a few years ago. Semi-auto pistols can be owned, with tons of restrictions and hoop jumping. As in England, killing a bad guy in your house will get you in a whole lot of trouble.